Cabral clarifies stand on sex education, herbal supplements
Posted at 06/04/2010 5:07 PM | Updated as of 06/04/2010 5:07 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral clarified her stand on early sex education Friday morning during an interview on ANC’s Headstart with Karen Davila.
Cabral said that reason she wanted sex education be taught as early as Kindergarten level is that children became more curious at the early age. When they start to ask about where did they came from, parents and teachers must be ready on what to answer.
Cabral said that the DoH wants children to be aware and protected.
“We also want kids to be protected from sexual abuse. They should know their private parts must not be touched by anyone except with their parents' permission.”
She further explained that it is the responsibility of the parents to teach their children, but since kids are spending most of their time in school, teachers became part of the accountability.
Meanwhile, Cabral considered that acquainting children about sexual intercourse be done right before menstruation, before a girl can get pregnant.
In the High School level, Cabral said that sex education should be edified in a more profound perspective.
Condom distribution drive
Secretary Cabral also said that a statement she made on Valentines Day that government should distribute condoms was part of the advocacy towards family planning and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
The DoH distributed condoms to those who cannot buy, and Cabral added that it is the responsibility of the government to provide free supplies to those who cannot afford them.
She said that the funds allocated for condoms were from the Global Funds.
Cabral said her advocacies were primarily inspired by her own upbringing and lessons from her parents, education and experiences.
Food supplement issue
Aside from sex education, Secretary Cabral also provoked controversy for her proposal to have health statements in labels on Herbal supplements written in Tagalog.
Cabral’s earlier said that herbal supplements should include the following statement in Tagalog: ‘Ito ay hindi gamot, at hindi dapat gamitin sa panggagamot.’
Currently, food supplement labels include the warning in English from the Bureau of Food and Drug, “No Approved Therapeutic Claims.”
“Some [of the products] are not registered as a drug products, but as food supplements. That's all it is: dagdag pagkain”, Cabral explained.
Cabral added “Hindi namin sinasabing wag bumili ang tao ng herbal supplements, ang gusto lang namin alam mo kung ano ang binibili mo, na hindi ito dapat gamitin bilang gamot para sa sakit”.
She also revealed that herbal industries made the issue problematic when they disagreed to give details that herbal supplements are not drugs, “malulugi sila dahil malalaman ng tao na hindi yun gamot”.
Libel case against blogger, Ella
Health Secretary Cabral confirmed that she filed a libel case against blogger Ella Ganda for her inscriptions about the relief goods stored in a warehouse after the upshots of Ondoy (Aanhin Mo Pa ang DAmo Kung Patay na ang Kabayo)
Cabral said that she decided to sue Ella after rejecting their invitation to a private conversation. - By Kathrine Blaise D. Panganiban, abs-cbnNews.com Halalan volunteer
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sex education
I think, sex education should start in all elementary schools... kindergarten is a bit too far..
I dont care what the catholic church says, its a big help to stop over population, she should consider bringing the cost of condoms down,(make it affordable) aswell as other forms of contraception like the "pill"....